Check rating and punching machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Y E. s. RAPE.

CHECK RATING AND PUNGHING MAGHINE.

No. 433,541. Patented Aug. 5, 1890.

" ATTORNEY (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.'

E s. RAFF. CHECK RATING AND PUNGHING MAOHINE. No. 433,541. Patented Aug. 5, 1890 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE.

EDl/VARD S. RAFF, OF CANTON, OHIO.

CHECK RATING AND PUNCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,541, dated August 5, 1890.

Application filed January 2, 1890. Serial No. 335,678. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD S. RAFF, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Canton, county of Stark, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Check Rating and Punching Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for perforating and printing figures on bank-checks or other papers to correspond with the amount or value otherwise indicated on such check or paper to prevent subsequent alteration.

With these ends in view my invention consists of certain features of construction, and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the bottom plate, dieplate, and bank of keys. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a comb or guide-plate; Fig. 4, a similar View of the frame, showing the guide-plate,

paper-holder, and sliding guide; Fig. 5, a similar View of the sliding guide; Fig. 6, a plan View of the keys and middle portion of the frame; Fig. 7, an end elevation of the supporting-frame and keys; Fig. 8, a perspective comprising the perforating and printing punch and die; Fig. 9, a plan View of a keyblank. Fig. 10 is an enlarged view of a portion of one of the points that outline the typecharacter.

The supporting-frame consists of two portions and may be made of any suitable cast metal, and of the form, or substantially so, as that shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the bottom portion A having a wide table portion B. To the frame A is secured overhung end frame-pieces 0 against movement, by screw-bolts a, as shown in Fig. 7,-said end frames having upwardly-projected portions (1%, at the upper end portions of which there is provided an aperture a in which is placed a bar D, connecting the said portions and forming a support and slide for the key-frame E. On the front end of the frame-pieces C is secured a plate F, thus completing the frame of the machine and providing other features hereinafter explained.

The key-frame E is composed of the rearwardly-desoending side bars a which are socured together at their upper front ends by the comb-plate G and at their lower .rear end portions by the comb-plate H. At the upper end portions of the side bars a there is provided apertures a through which the bar D is passed and upon which the key-frame may slide. The bottom plate J is secured at its rear portion to the rear portion of the key frame E, the front edge to slide upon a ledge a formed on the rear portion of the table B, as shown in Fig. 7, the top of the plate to be on aline with said table. The rear portion of the key-frame is supported onaledge formed on the front side of the rear portion of the frame A, the roller a resting against the vertical portion and projecting over the top, as shown, and, if preferred, the said portion of the said frame maybe supported on theflanged portion of said roller resting on the top of the frame A, as shown. As shown in this case, the plate J is provided with an oblong aperture a at its front portion, over which is placed the die-plate a but, if preferred, the dies may be formed in the plate J, the said dies to consist of a series of small perforations outlining the numerals or characters, as shown at b, Fig. 8.

The type-keys L are cut from sheet metal, a blank shown in Fig. 9, the upper end portion to be twisted one-fourth of a turn to form a finger portion (1 as shown in Figs. 1, 6, and 7, the lower end portion 1) having a perforation, as b, the arm portion 17 turned over to one side and back on itself, as shown in Figs. 1, 6, and 8, the lower face 5 to be provided with a raised type-surface or a type sunk into face portion b with either of the above-mentioned forms, as type-characters may be printed without the use of a die or any form other than the paper resting on the plate J; but, if desired, die may be formed in said plate to correspond with the raised type, by which the paper may be perforated, said perforations to correspond in character with the type; but preferably, and for the purpose of this case, I have constructed a character-type, as shown in Fig. 8, consisting of a series of steel pins, as If, set in the type-face portion 5 to outline the characters, said pins having a short sharpened conical end portion provided with longitudinal ink channels or grooves b The die for said type, constructed as shown at b Fig. 8, consists of a series of small perforations, as 11 to outline the characters to correspond with the typepins, and in operation a paper is placed over the die, the type brought down, the point of the pins to puncture the paper, the body of the pin to press the paper into the perforation, thus indenting and puncturing the paper, as will be hereinafter explained. However, if a character formed of small perforations is preferred, the end of the pins 11 may be so formed as to cut out the paper by entering the perforations b of the die Z), and

thereby leaving a similar perforation in the paper.

Numerals or characters are placed on the finger portion a of the keys to correspond with the type on the same key. The keys so formed are placed on the rod 12 and spaced apart by the comb-plate H, said plate having a series of elongated slots b in which the rear end portion of the keys L are placed, as

shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Figs. 2 and 6 a coil-spring 19 is shown placed about the rod between the keys. The energy of the spring is exerted to hold the front end portion of the key up in the slot b in the comb-plate G.

In Fig. 7 I have shown another form of spring, (indicated as (1,) which is made of plate metal, the body portion of which is secured to the bottom plate J, the front end turned up to take under the key, as shown in Fig. 2. The front end portion of the key L is secured against lateral movement by the comb-plates G, and the lug 12 into the slot (1 in the plate M to guide the pins or punches b of the type b into the perforation b in the die I). For the purpose of this case I have shown the two comb-plates G and M, both of which are secured at their upper endportions to the side bars of the key-frame, as shown, and are projected downwardly; but, if preferred, the comb portion of the plate G may be dispensed with and the slots (1 in plate M extended up to the flanged portion of the plate the full height of the vertical movement of the key. The bank of keys constructed as hereinbefore stated are now placed in the frame A, the plate J resting on the ledges, as stated, and the bar D passed through the pcrforation a in the upwardly-projected port-ion of the frame-pieces O and through the perfo ations a in the side bars a of the key-frame E, thus forming a support and slide for the bank of keys, as shown in the drawings, which may be moved thereon from one'end of the frame to the other.

In the plate F is provided a series of vertical slots (1 to guide the key and type to the desired point on the paper, and to provide for thedesired spacing between characters and against mistakes a sliding guide Q is provided, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, the latter showing the reverse side, said slide made of sheet metal, and is formed substantially as shown in the drawings, having two side portions d and d to embrace and slide upon the front plate F, the side (Z having a V-shaped notch R, having one side d graded so as to move the slide the distance of one space to bring the small V-notch S in side d of the slide over the next slot d to the right. There is also provided on the front side of the slide a thumb-piece (Z and on the plate F a corresponding piece cl -To hold the check or other paper in position to be indented and printed, a springactuating presser-foot N is provided, as shown in Fig. 1, havinga foot portion provided with toes 712 to hold the paper from sliding or turning on the table, the spring 7L exerted against the back portion of the lever h.

To ink the type or the puncturing-pins, ink-rollers, as T, are provided, as shown, supported on and rotated about pins h secured in the notched guide-plate F, the roller being supplied with ink in the usual Way. As the keys are moved back and forth in their normal position, the type or pins hereinbefore described will engage said rolls and rotate them about the supporting-pins, and in so doing will receive on the said type or points the desired amount of ink.

In operation the thumb and finger is placed on the thumb-pieces d and d the slide Q, drawn against the foot-lever h, by which'the ,foot is raised, the check placed on the table B under the foot, as shown in Fig. 1, the slide released, the spring will move the slide to the right, the V, S resting over the left-hand slot (1 in the plate F, the first key having the dollar-character is brought down, the shoul' der h striking the graded side of the V-notch R on the long side at a; and moved along and down on said grade to 2, by which movement the slide will be moved to the right one space, bringing the V-noteh S over the second slot a and the type in contact with the paper to indent, puncture, and print the dollar-character. The keys will then be moved to the left, bringing the key having the character 3 over the V-notch S, and the key brought down as before stated, to print the character 3. The keys are then moved farther on to the left, bringing the key 7 over the V-notch S, the operation of printing repeated. The keys are then moved to the right, bringing key- 5 over the said V-notch, and the. operation of printing repeated. The keys are then moved to the left to bring the character 0 over the notch S, when the operation of indenting, puncturing, and printing are repeated, marking the said check $3,750. By providing the points that outline the characters with grooves or channels the ink supplied thereto by the rollers will be carried through the check when punched, and when the points are withdrawn the edge or wall of the puncture will scrape the ink from the channels or groove, thus printing the check upon each side.

Having thus fully described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a check-rating machine, a type-key L, having a finger 01 a type-supporting arm b guide 1) and a type or punch, a shoulder h, and a downwardly and rearwardly projected portion having a perforation b, by which the key is pivotally secured to the keyframe, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a check1-ating machine, the combination, with the type-keys L and the plate F, having the spacing-slots d of the sliding guide Q, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a check-rating machine, the combination, with a character-t-ype consisting of pointed pins arranged to outline a character and provided with inlochannels, of a dieplate and means for inking said pins, sub- 5. The combination, with the type-keys and the slotted spacing-plate, of the automatically-sliding guide, whereby when one of the keys is depressed to register with one slot in said plate the guide is moved to the adjacent slot, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with the supportingframe provided with a fixed table, of a bank of punches supported to slide above said table, a notched guide-plate, a sliding guide engaged therewith, and a check-holder located in the path of the sliding guide, whereby when it is desired to reset the sliding guide for another check its movement will trip the check-holder and release the punched check, substantially as set forth. 7. In a check-rating machine, the combination, with a character-type consisting of pointed pins arranged to outline a character and having grooves in their sides, of a dieplate having perforations to correspond with the pins, and a roller to ink said pins, sub stantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of December, A. D. 1889.

EDWARD S. RAFF.

Witnesses:

W. K. MILLER, OHAs. R. MILLER. 

